Comparison of adjectives

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Comparative adjectives compare two things. Superlative adjectives compare more than two things

Commonly, adjectives that contain only one syllable or end in 'y' use 'er' to form comparatives and 'est' to form superlatives. For adjectives ending in y, change the 'y' to 'i' before adding the 'er' or 'est'.

• old – older – oldest
• young – younger – youngest
• pretty – prettier – prettiest
• long – longer – longest
• short – shorter – shortest
• bright – brighter – brightest
• close – closer – closest
• happy – happier - happiest

Adjectives with two or more syllables do not change but instead add more to form comparatives and most to form superlatives.

• respectable – more respectable – most respectable
• beautiful – more beautiful – most beautiful
• preferable – more preferable – most preferable
• hardworking – more hardworking – most hardworking

Some adjectives have different forms of comparatives and superlatives.

• good – better – best
• bad – worse – worst
• little – less – least
• much (many) – more – most
• far – further - furthest

The word than typically appears in comparative sentences.

• Ahmad is smarter than Behnam.
• Chandran is stronger than Danish.
• Ganesh is more diligent than his brother.
• I have more apples than he.
• She likes him more than me.

Superlatives are typically accompanied by the word the.

• Abdullah is the oldest man in town.
• Paran is the tallest boy in the neighborhood.
• That shade of blue is the most beautiful colour.
• This is the longest song that I have ever heard.
• Mahaweli is the longest river in Sri Lanka